Anyone know of any other current Kappa Sigma expansionary activity?

[chicostateksig]

so chico state got installed yesterday. and the worthy grand master was there i am happy to be a full on brother of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. They said UC davis will be back next spring and they want to start stuff in UN Reno, UC Merced and University of the Pacific.

[stufield]

chicostateksig:

Congratulations on the installation of your chapter.
How many founding fathers were initiated?
What is your chapter designation, Pi-Iota?

Thanks for the news about, hopefully, the return of UC Davis and possible new colonies at Nevada, UC Merced, and UoP.

As we should have been at Nevada decades ago, a colony there can't come soon enough.

UoP is a first-rate school, another one we should have been at years ago. However, its Greek system is still expanding, so hopefully we WILL colonize there soon.

So with both Neavada and UoP, as it was with Chico, it's better late than never!

I, for one, have never even heard of UC Merced.

[chicostateksig]

Thanks alot i was almost about to cry but i maned up ahah. it felt great bringing or helping in bring KS to our school. I believed it was a perfect time to do so due to beta's absence and we came in. Yet your right this chapter should have been installed during the rigorous expansion period in which half of these fraternities came into campus the 80s. or late 70s. The ritual going through it was special and i will take its teachings at heart. Yet answering what you asked. we had 51 founders. 3 were already initiated, and about 40 were initiated that day some graduated or are studying abroad so they will have to return to be initiated. The chapter is the 325 Pi-Iota chapter.

Uop is perfect for expansion and you previously stated it. Our Grandmaster's brother is going to be a founder of the future Davis Beta-phi colony which should return spring 09. and UC Merced is a great place to start. This is a new University in the prestigious UC school system. There are presently no Greek letter organizations on this campus. I see this campus doing great things like the rest of its UC counterparts, and its a perfect time to get a foothold in the university that just opened its doors 4 years ago. This will make us a big in that campus and start out pretty easily. I hear that Sigma Chi is in the midst of starting a colony. However i cant wait for future expansion another colony in U of Pacific, Davis will make 5 kappa sigma locations in our district. Nu-Lambda, Omicron-Omega, and Pi- Iota with Beta-phi Colony, and Uof P colony would be great.

I forgot to note that Nu-Alpha Chapter at Cal Poly SLO may also return the DGM talked to me about it, they need to clear things out and they may possibly return spring or next fall as well.

Its a really great time to be a Kappa Sigma.

[flffydg9]

I am willing to be an alumni advisor for a colony at UC Riverside, but it looks like it would be a daunting task. There are only about 300 students in 10 fraternities out of a total enrollment of almost 20,000 and growing. There is no alumni chapter in the Inland Empire, although there are in LA and San Diego Counties. Most or all of the existing fraternities at Riverside don't have houses which reduces the incentive to join. The largest fraternity there numbers only 50 men (as it happens, it is a chapter of the nation's second largest fraternity), the minimum required by our National for chartering. The only way I see a Kappa Sig chapter succeeding is strong alumni support from a to-be-created Inland Empire alumni chapter, and a housing corporation. The strongest sorority on campus seems to be the Pi Phis. As it happens they have a house and a strong alumni chapter. My view is that Kappa Sig has the strength to put a chapter anywhere it wants to given the resolve to do so, but National can't do it alone, it's a question of the resolve of the brothers who live in the area. How badly do alumni want a meeting place. I see UC Riverside as a part of a strong presence in Southern California because it's big and geting bigger, and some students transfer to the other college campuses in SoCal from there, and it is well located geographically to support colonization efforts throughout SoCal, there is no place too far from there. They have an undergrad business major there which always seems to be a good source for members.

Is there any interest and support for the idea of starting a chapter out there and becoming the 11th fraternity on the campus and the largest?

[hayden83]

In my District, I have chapters of 20 members on campuses of 25,000 with a total of 100 Greek students, so you're not alone.

There may be an interest group forming at UCR. I will PM you the contact information of our recruitment manager who can help you get connected.

Originally Posted by flffydg9

I am willing to be an alumni advisor for a colony at UC Riverside, but it looks like it would be a daunting task. There are only about 300 students in 10 fraternities out of a total enrollment of almost 20,000 and growing... Is there any interest and support for the idea of starting a chapter out there and becoming the 11th fraternity on the campus and the largest?

[als463]

Sorry for crashing but, I felt compelled to leave a message in the Kappa Sigma forum. I hope you all don't mind.

The other night on campus (Penn State Harrisburg-where I am now a Graduate Student) I walked out of class early after a test. I was excited to get a chance to go home early. Generally my Wednesday class is over at 9:15 p.m. and I have an hour and a half drive home from there.

I had gotten done with my test as I walked out to the parking lot. I hopped in my car and my engine wouldn't even turn over. I didn't leave the lights on and I had no idea why it wasn't starting. I freaked out because I was about an hour and a half from home-so, for anyone to even come pick me up-getting home could have been a total of 3 hours when all is said and done.

I quickly hopped out of my car to find someone who was willing to help me try and jump start my car. I carry my own jumper cables and all I needed was someone with a car that worked. I walked around the parking lot until I came upon two young-attractive guys dressed up in suits. I felt bad asking them because they were dressed so nice and obviously had some place to go. As soon as I walked up to their car (because they were hopping out of it) without even having to say a word-they stopped talking and greeted me.

I asked them if they would be willing to help me jump start my car and they were more than happy to help out. I was so thankful. Even though I had an idea how to do it, the one guy took charge of the cables and told me not to worry because he works on cars all the time. After hearing that-that made my night. I went from being tired and ready to go home-after freaking out...to meeting some great guys who were willing to help at the drop of a hat.

Maybe I got lucky because they noticed my hat. Who knows? I forget how it came up but, I began to tell them about how I was in graduate school. The one guy made a comment about how he realized I was most likely there for graduate school because he noticed my Penn State Phi Mu (lettered hat) that I was wearing. I smiled and said, "Oh-are you guys Tekes?" The reason I asked is because from all I knew they were the only IFC/NIC group on campus. They both smiled and said, "No-we are brothers of Kappa Sigma!" We began talking about Greek Life as my car was getting jumped and I took down their names and information so I may send them "thank you" cards and let them know how thankful I am.

Apparently, the guys were dressed up because they had something going on with the fraternity that night-I want to say it was something like a sorority's pinning ceremony (if that's something fraternities do). They were dressed very nice and willing to help me out. Had it not been for them-I would have never made it home. I just wanted to let the brothers of Kappa Sigma know how wonderful their new chapter/ colonization/ expansion is at Penn State Harrisburg because if those two guys are an example of Kappa Sigma brothers on this campus-you will have great pledge classes for years to come!

[chicostateksig]

well we are losing chapters fast too. I believe SDSU is in probation. and UC Santa Barbara is gone. wow that sucks.

[irocz89]

Penn State Harrisburg,, made into Pi Lambda Chapter on November 1st 2008

[stufield]

A New Year's Rant:

The Fraternity did reasonably well with charterings and recharterings in the first half of the 2008-2009 academic year, chartering new chapters at Coastal Carolina University (Pi-Theta), Cal State Chico (Pi-Iota), Bentley College (Pi-Kappa), PSU-Harrisburg (Pi-Kappa), Methodist University (Pi-Mu), Ramapo College of New Jersey (Pi-Nu), and Colorado State University (Pi-Xi), and rechartering at Dickinson College (Beta-Pi) and Jacksonville State University (Lambda-Gamma). Lambda and Gamma-Phi chapters were rechartered at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and West Virginia University, respectively, but I can't recall whether those recharterings occurred prior to or since the commencement of the 2008-2009 academic year.

Unfortunately, four colonies, the Okanagan (i.e., Kelowna) campus of the University of British Columbia, The College of New Jersey, the so-called Colony at South Bend (which was actually at the University of Notre Dame) and, most sadly, the Kappa-Psi recolonization at Villanova University, all folded during the first half of the year, bringing to 34 the number of colonies that have closed in the last three to four years ... an unbelievable number, and clear evidence that the Fraternity is establishing many colonies that never should have been established in the first place. While I suppose one could always advance such platitudes as "noting ventured, nothing gained" and "you'll never know unless you try", the actual fact of the matter is that the status of Greek life, or the absolute lack of any Greek life, and in some cases the absolute opposition of the school administration to the introduction or expansion of Greek life on its campus, meant that about 20 of those 34 colonies were doomed to failure from the outset. The aforesaid South Bend / Notre Dame colony was one of those.

As for new colonies, the fraternity seems to have established ten new colonies in the first half of the current academic year: altogether new colonies at (1) the University of California at San Diego, and (2) Central Michigan University (both are schools at which we should have colonized/chartered 20 to 30 years ago, and at which we have been conspicuously absent ever since); recolonizations of (3) Kappa Chapter at Vanderbilt University, (4) Alpha-Psi Chapter at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, (5) Delta-Nu Chapter at UCLA, (6) Alpha-Alpha Chapter at the University of Maryland, College Park, (7) Epsilon-Rho Chapter at Kent State University, (8) Delta-Gamma Chapter at the University of Wyoming, and (9) Kappa-Iota Chapter at Middle Tennessee State University; and, most recently, (10) another altogether new colony at Texas Women's University. Some of those recolonizations may actually have commenced before the beginning of the current academic year. But as they were not posted on the Fraternity Website until the current year, I'm counting them as having been established this academic year.

It may be that another colony was, or another two or three were, established before school let out for the Holiday Season, and simply has or have not yet been posted on the Website. The Website's postings are not always up to date, and what is posted is often inaccurate. But I understand that the long-anticipated recolonization of Gamma-Upsilon at Rutgers University, and an altogether new colony at Florida Gulf Coast University, located in Fort Meyers, may already have been established ... or perhaps soon will be.

The establishment of ten colonies in one-half a school year would ordinarily be a noteworthy expansionary achievement. But in a year when (a) the Fraternity had set an objective of having 300 active chapters and colonies at the time of the 2009 Biennial Grand Conclave this July, (b) had 250 active chapters and colonies at the beginning of the school year, and (c) shortly thereafter closed at least two active chapters (Epsilon-Nu at the University of Southern Mississippi and Epsilon-Theta at the University of California at Santa Barbara), ten colonies falls far short of the desired objective. I know that the Fraternity wanted to have established colonies at a minimum of ten other specific schools by the Holiday Season. Hopefully, those schools will all be colonized in the second half of the academic year, although I suspect that some of those specific projects have failed. But even IF those ten other schools ARE colonized, and all the present colonies and active chapters are still active in July (a most unlikely prospect, given the penchant of the SEC for closing chapters and the high failure/closure rate of our colonies, in large part because many of them are at schools where they have little or no chance of ultimate success), that would still leave the Fraternity over 30 chapters and colonies shy of the 300 mark. That objective was totally unrealistic when it was set, and it clearly now unattainable. In fact, the most recent issue of The Caduceus does not even mention it, and I suspect we will never read another word about the "300 by Conclave" objective. The Fraternity simply is not going to establish 40 new colonies between now and July, and close no chapters or colonies.

Having mentioned the Texas Women's University colony, I would be astounded if it survives. It is just the latest example of the Fraternity establishing colonies at schools with no fraternity system, either never having had one or once having had one but every previous fraternity at the school having failed, or with just one or two other fraternities with low campus presence ... colonies with little or no prospect of success. Meanwhile, there are over 250 schools throughout the USA and Canada with well-established Greek systems at which the Fraternity is presently unrepresented (over 50 of these are schools at which we have a dormant/inactive chapter) and at which a Kappa Sigma chapter would thus have a much better chance of succeeding, if a colony could first be established there. Of course, many of those schools are closed to further expansion at this time. At some other schools, the fraternity system is expanding, various fraternities have been invited to make presentations for acceptance as the next fraternity to expand to that school, and Kappa Sigma either was not invited to make a presentation or did make one but was subsequently not selected. But for the most part, Kappa Sigma remains on the outside looking in at these schools because the Fraternity's present expansionary plan ... if one could even call it a plan ... is NOT to target specific schools where the Order is conspicuously absent and to attempt to expand there, but instead to 'take what comes', to only deal with interest groups who approach the Fraternity about possibly becoming a colony/ chapter, and with alumni who want to see a return of their dormant chapter. So the Fraternity receives solicitations from interest groups at all sorts of schools, many of which are obscure, minor schools that almost nobody has ever heard of, that have no fraternity system on campus, that would not enhance the Fraternity's status much even if a colony were to be established and ultimately chartered. Look at the list of present colonies and the schools in the Xi, Omicron, and Pi chapter series and you will see what I mean. Chapters and colonies at a number of schools that most of us have never even heard of, let alone that would advance a fratenity's reputation. Texas Women's University is the latest of these. Yet just in the State of Texas alone, we have at least four inactive chapters that could be recolonized (the University of Texas at Arlington [which the Fraternity has been attempting to return to, and may even recolonize this school year], Texas A & M, Kingsville [formerly Texas A & I], West Texas A & M [formerly West Texas State], and St. Mary's University), there are at least three other public universities with well-established Greek systems (Tarleton State University, Angelo State University, and Texas A & M, Corpus Christi) and a few other private schools with established Greek systems (Houston Baptist University, Schreiner University, and the University of the Incarnate Word) at which we have never had a colony or chapter. But rather than actively seek to colonize those schools, we instead colonize Texas Women's University, which has no fraternities, because a group from there approached the Fraternity. I'm sure nobody at IMH know it, but Phi Kappa Psi had a colony there about five years ago. It flopped miserably. Anyway, such are the vagaries of the Fraternity's curious expansion policy, such as it is or if one even exists.

The rationale for this is that the fraternity gets approached by so many interested groups that it does not need to actively attempt to establish interest groups or colonies, and can just sit back and deal with those groups that approach us. But this policy does not take into account the iffy nature of so many of the schools where these groups are located, and the fact that few of these approaches actually materialize into an actual colony ... thus, as aforesaid, only three altogether new colonies this past half-year. Meanwhile, the Fraternity continues to be unrepresented at so many schools with strong Greek systems that we should be a part of, but at which we not only are not a part of, but are not even trying to be a part of unless some interest group approaches us. As a result, the Fraternity has only one active chapter in the entire State of Illinois, only four in Indiana, three in Michigan (but happily, the new colony at Central Michigan, if it survives), four in Ohio, one in West Virginia, to name just a few States where we are seriously underrepresented (the Fraternity is seriously underrepresented throughout the entire Northeast and Midwest; yet see how few colonies we have in those regions; but instead of actively attempting to expand the number of those schools, the Fraternity sits back and takes what comes to it).

Here is another example of the Fraternity's goofy expansionary practices. We have a chapter as far away from the Fraternity's founding and headquarters location at Charlottesville, Virginia, as the University of Hawaii, and a colony equally as far away as the University of Alaska at Anchorage. The Fraternity has had chapters in all 48 other States (although there are presently three such States in which we have no chapters or colonies, and are just barely hanging on in a couple of others), and in three Canadian Provinces. Yet there are two universities within an hour or so's drive of Charlottesville with well-established Greek systems at which we have NEVER had even a colony, let alone an active chapter: Longwood University, in Longwood, just a mile or two from Upsilon Chapter at Hampden-Sydney College, and Lynchburg College, in Lynchburg (beautiful campus). Yet several other fraternities, some with no historical connection to the State of Virginia and with half the number of chapters as Kappa Sigma has, have chapters at one or both of those schools ... right under our proverbial noses, in our figurative back yard! How can the Fraternity allow that to have happened and to continue to happen? One would think that the Fraternity's very first expansionary priority would be to actively colonize both those schools, located so close to our mother chapter and International HQ. Yet year after year passes, and still no Kappa Sigma chapter at either school ... or at Old Dominion University, another, more prominent, Virginia school at which Kappa Sigma has never had a colony or chapter. But sure enough, we've had colonies at such little-known and far-flung schools as Eastern Oregon University, Southwestern College, Wayne State College, West Liberty State College, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, UBC Okanagan, none of which had a ghost of a chance of succeeding. Meanwhile, Sigma Nu, which was also founded in Virginia (at VMI) has chapters at BOTH Longwood AND Lynchburg, which makes perfect sense. Apparently too much sense for Kappa Sigma. I was told in September that we have (had?) a VERY STRONG interest group at Lynchburg (again, the Fraternity waiting to be approached by a group, rather than going out and starting one as we did until a few years ago). Yet even apparently with a strong interest group at Lynchburg, and despite its proximity to Charlottesville, still no colony there.

In South Carolina, a State with a strong Kappa Sigma presence, we have no less than seven active chapters, as well as an inactive chapter at Clemson, which the SEC closed with considerable rancour and resulting hard feelings. Yet we have never had a chapter at Furman University, one of the best small, private colleges in the South, and which has had a fraternity system for over 100 years. This is a school at which we should already have had 1,000, 1,200, or more initiates over those 100 years, just as we have had at such comparable regional schools as Davidson, Mercer, and Wofford. Yet it is now 2009 and we still have no presence at Furman (and have never even had a colony there in the 40+ years that I have been following the Fraternity's expansion ... or lack thereof). One would think that Furman is another prime example of a school to which the Fraternity is actively and aggressively seeking to expand. But no, we are waiting year after year for some group to approach us.

Well that is enough raving to start the New Year. Here's hoping that the first few months of 2009 see a rash of new colonies and recolonizations. Chicostateksig's Fall postings referred to new colonies at the University of the Pacific and the new Merced campus of the University of California, as well as a recolonization of Beta-Phi Chapter at UC Davis. No evidence as yet of any of those colonies; hopefully we'll see them all this Spring.

If anybody does know of any other expansionary prospects for this year, I'd love to hear about them.

[stufield]

The month of January has no passed, and not much seems to have happened expansion-wise.

The one especially positive development is that the long-anticipated recolonization of Gamma-Upsilon at Rutgers University, referred to in the fourth paragraph of my January 2nd posting, evidently HAS formally occurred, as the Gamma-Upsilon Colony is now included in the lists of active chapters and colonies on the Fraternity Website.

Two other positive events, though they are not strictly expansions, but rather successful completions of prior recolonizations, are that the Kappa and Mu-Omega Chapters at Vanderbilt and Southeastern Louisiana Universities, respectively, have now been restored.

Unfortunately, however, the only other new expansion shown on the lists of active chapters and colonies on the Fraternity Website is an altogether new colony at the Brooklyn College unit of CUNY, the City University of New York. This is another example of the Fraternity expanding to a school that has no, or, in this instance, almost no pre-existing fraternity system, as opposed to a school with a well-established fraternity system with a variety of fraternities. The only other fraternities at Brooklyn College are Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Mu, and Zeta Beta Tau, all predominantly Jewish in membership, and tiny Alpha Delta Phi. So this may be another example of the fraternity colonizing at a school at which it has little or not chance of long-term success, as it has done so many times in recent years, or a great opportunity for Kappa Sigma to establish itself at a school where it has little competition for members, and thus perhaps a chance to establish itself successfully. I suppose that only time will tell. To me this is another example of the Fraternity's second-rate,'take what comes along' expansion policy, which brings us colonies at many schools where there is little likelihood of long-term success and that do little to advance the Fraternity's stature, instead of actively pursuing colonies at prominent schools with established Greek systems at which Kappa Sigma is notably absent. In NYC, other fraternities expand or return to NYU (where we have a dormant Gamma-Zeta Chapter, founded in 1905, inactive since 1974) and Columbia University (where we have never had a chapter); Kappa Sigma expands to Brooklyn College. It IS a good school, with an attractive and growing campus, a good reputation, and an increasing enrollment. L just don't see a chapter there succeeding long-term. However, I'd love to be wrong.

Perhaps some other colonies have been established but just are not yet listed on the Fraternity Website. Perhaps there is a flurry of expansionary activity going on out there that just has not yet manifested itself in the formal establishment of colonies. If anyone is aware of any such new colonies or expansionary activity, please share what you know or have been told.

[tld221]

Originally Posted by stufield

The month of January has no passed, and not much seems to have happened expansion-wise.

The one especially positive development is that the long-anticipated recolonization of Gamma-Upsilon at Rutgers University, referred to in the fourth paragraph of my January 2nd posting, evidently HAS formally occurred, as the Gamma-Upsilon Colony is now included in the lists of active chapters and colonies on the Fraternity Website.

Two other positive events, though they are not strictly expansions, but rather successful completions of prior recolonizations, are that the Kappa and Mu-Omega Chapters at Vanderbilt and Southeastern Louisiana Universities, respectively, have now been restored.

Unfortunately, however, the only other new expansion shown on the lists of active chapters and colonies on the Fraternity Website is an altogether new colony at the Brooklyn College unit of CUNY, the City University of New York. This is another example of the Fraternity expanding to a school that has no, or, in this instance, almost no pre-existing fraternity system, as opposed to a school with a well-established fraternity system with a variety of fraternities. The only other fraternities at Brooklyn College are Alpha Epsilon Pi, Sigma Alpha Mu, and Zeta Beta Tau, all predominantly Jewish in membership, and tiny Alpha Delta Phi. So this may be another example of the fraternity colonizing at a school at which it has little or not chance of long-term success, as it has done so many times in recent years, or a great opportunity for Kappa Sigma to establish itself at a school where it has little competition for members, and thus perhaps a chance to establish itself successfully. I suppose that only time will tell. To me this is another example of the Fraternity's second-rate,'take what comes along' expansion policy, which brings us colonies at many schools where there is little likelihood of long-term success and that do little to advance the Fraternity's stature, instead of actively pursuing colonies at prominent schools with established Greek systems at which Kappa Sigma is notably absent. In NYC, other fraternities expand or return to NYU (where we have a dormant Gamma-Zeta Chapter, founded in 1905, inactive since 1974) and Columbia University (where we have never had a chapter); Kappa Sigma expands to Brooklyn College. It IS a good school, with an attractive and growing campus, a good reputation, and an increasing enrollment. L just don't see a chapter there succeeding long-term. However, I'd love to be wrong.

Perhaps some other colonies have been established but just are not yet listed on the Fraternity Website. Perhaps there is a flurry of expansionary activity going on out there that just has not yet manifested itself in the formal establishment of colonies. If anyone is aware of any such new colonies or expansionary activity, please share what you know or have been told.

I hope you're wrong too-ive met a couple of the KS guys at Brooklyn and they're cool. One of them is the new IGC president. Good times.

As for nyu hope that works out too-always good times to hear about greek life expanding there. I know pi phi just came there last year (or the year before?)

[stufield]

I created this thread back in November, 2003 in the hopes of acquiring additional information regarding the Fraternity’s expansionary activities to supplement the minimal information that the Fraternity was providing on its Website and in its quarterly magazine, The Caduceus. Kappa Sigma is a terrific fraternity in many ways; but in one respect, Kappa Sigma is one of the worst: its HQ is among the worst of all fraternities in informing its members about fraternity affairs. Kappa Sigs, and those interested in Kappa Sigma affairs, are among the most poorly informed, compared to members of other fraternities, about all sorts of fraternity matters, including expansion (the existence of interest groups, the establishment of colonies, and the chartering of colonies as active chapters) and contraction (the closure of colonies and chapters). Invariably, new colonies would be added to the list of active chapters and colonies, colonies would be upgraded to chapter status, and colonies and chapters would disappear from the list of active chapters and colonies, all without announcement, explanation, or other reportage. So as one response to this lack of information, I initiated this thread.

Unfortunately, and mystifyingly, in the last couple of months the Fraternity’s unwillingness to provide basic information, or lack of concern about providing such information, has actually deteriorated, rather than improved. The primary function of any website should be to inform those who access it, preferably in the most user-friendly manner possible. But the Kappa Sigma website, which was reconfigured about two months ago, does just the opposite in several respects, one of which is the [lack of] provision of information about chapters and colonies. Prior to the reconfiguration, the website contained three chapter-related lists: two of those lists set out active chapters and colonies, one alphabetically by name of school, and one more or less alphabetically by Greek letter chapter designation; the third list set out all Kappa Sigma chapters, active and inactive, in chronological order of their chartering, commencing with Zeta Chapter at the University of Virginia and ending with the then most recently chartered chapter. So although, as aforesaid, the Fraternity almost never announced the creation of a new colony or the chartering of a colony, and absolutely never announced the closing of a colony or chapter, one could by careful monitoring of the lists, note when a new colony had been added, when a former colony had become an active chapter, and when a colony or a chapter had been deletedfrom the lists. But the newly reconfigured website eliminated all three lists and replaced it with a goofy map on which the location of every colony and chapter is marked with a red indicator that looks sort of like an upside down teardrop. So now if one wants to attempt to determine if a new colony has been added to the Fraternity’s rolls, one cannot scroll down the former active chapter and colony list, but instead must call up EVERY SINGLE indicator on the entire map to see if it corresponds to a previously existing chapter or colony, or a new colony!!! Furthermore, because the zoom function must be used to separate indicators for chapters that are located close together (for instance, to distinguish between the two present chapters located in Memphis or the several chapters located in and around Metro Atlanta) one must do this indicator-by-indicator searching in zoom mode in order to be sure not to miss a colony or chapter located in close proximity to another colony or chapter. It is extremely tedious and time consuming!

As if that is not bad enough, the map was outdated when it was introduced as part of the reconfigured website. Some colonies that had been chartered or rechartered prior to the appearance of the map on the reconfigured website, and that had been listed as chapters on the aforesaid active chapters and colonies lists before they disappeared from the website, were shown on the map as still being colonies. Likewise, some newer colonies that had been established before the appearance of the map on the reconfigured website, and had been added as colonies to the aforesaid active chapters and colonies lists before they disappeared from the website, were not shown at all on the map! So the map was out of date the minute it was added to the website.

And as if THAT were not bad enough, two months have passed and the map STILL has NOT been updated. So, for instance, Kappa Chapter at Vanderbilt University, which was rechartered before the website was reconfigured with the disappearance of the active chapters and colonies lists and the introduction of the map, is STILL shown as a COLONY! Also, Pi-Nu, Pi-Omicron, and Pi-Xi Chapters at Ramapo College of New Jersey, the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and Colorado State University, which had all been shown as CHAPTERS on the active chapters and colonies lists on the website prior to the reconfigured website being introduced, were shown as COLONIES on the map. Likewise, the Kappa-Iota recolonization at the Middle Tennessee State University, and the new colonies at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, Brooklyn College, Central Michigan University, the University of Central Missouri (formerly Central Missouri State University), and Texas Women’s University all of which had been included on the aforesaid lists of active chapters and colonies on the former website, are STILL NOT SHOWN AS COLONIES AT ALL!

Furthermore, any colonies that have been established since the map was introduced are also not shown ... not that we are able to know what they are, because (1) the lists have disappeared, and (2) the Fraternity does not announce new colonizations in all but the most exceptional situations, something it could easily do each time a new colony is formed by simply posting a brief one or two sentence announcement on the News page of the website. Likewise, of course, any former colonies that have since received their charters are still not shown as active chapters.

The map contains a number of inaccuracies that have not been corrected since the map was introduced. Just to select one small area of the map, the chapter indicator for Omicron-Tau Chapter at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith is nowhere near Fort Smith, but instead is about 100 miles to the east of there, and the indicator for the University of Kansas is placed in some suburb of Kansas City, not at Lawrence where the University is located.

There is no excuse whatsoever for the Fraternity’s failure to at least make the map accurate and to keep it up to date.

In other words, the whole thing is a near-total disaster. But It does not have to be so. First and foremost, the map could be updated to show all present active chapters and colonies, including upgrading to chapter status the designations of those colonies that have now received their charters. Secondly, the incorrectly placed indicators could be properly relocated. Thirdly, differently shaped or differently colored indicators could be used to differentiate between colonies and chapters. That way, one could instantly tell when a colony has been chartered or rechartered as an active chapter; it would have an active chapter indicator instead of a colony one. For instance, Alpha Kappa Lambda and Delta Upsilon websites both use the same Google map as the Kappa Sigma map, but mark active chapters with blue indicators, and colonies with yellow indicators. The DU map goes one step further, and also uses yellow indicators with a red check mark in it to designate interest groups; when the red check mark disappears one knows that that group had been upgraded to full colony status. The Kappa Sigma map could easily continue to use red indicators for active chapters, but use green ones for colonies ... personally, I would reverse that, and use red indicators for colonies and green ones for active chapters. It could provide even more information by also using black indicators for inactive chapters! It would be great to see a black indicator change to red when an inactive chapter is recolonized, and then to green when it is rechartered, just as it would be disappointing (but nonetheless informative) to see green or red indicator change to black when an active chapter is closed.

Similarly, Delta Sigma Phi uses a map, but uses differently shaped indicators, the shapes being symbols significant to its secrets, to differentiate between colonies and chapters.

Alpha Kappa Lambda, Delta Sigma Phi, ATO, Phi Delta Theta, and many other fraternities use both a map AND chapter lists, to inform their members and other interested parties as to its chapters and colonies. AKL uses not only the same map as Kappa Sigma, but also has lists of (a) its active chapters and colonies, (b) its inactive chapters, and (c) all its chapters, active and inactive, in chronological order of chartering. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why Kappa Sigma could not do likewise, especially since the website prior to reconfiguration already included two of those lists. I simply cannot comprehend who could have made the foolhardy decision to have eliminated those lists.

Check out the aforesaid AKL, ATO, Delta Sig, DU, and Phi Delt websites. Also check out the Beta Theta Pi, Sigma Nu, and Sigma Pi websites to see really good, really informative Chapter Directories, and to see how much more information those fraternities, and many others as well are providing, as opposed to the minimal and out of date information that the Kappa Sigma website provides.

I have e-mailed all the foregoing to the Fraternity webmaster, but have not received even the courtesy of an acknowledgment of receipt of that e-mail, let alone a substantive response. More importantly, no lists have been added to accompany the map, and the map still has not been updated.

If you share any of my aforesaid sentiments, I would ask that you please also e-mail the webmaster ... go to Contact Us on the Website and look for the link. Perhaps if some other people add their dissatisfaction to mine, some corrective action will be taken.

What does all the foregoing have to do with this thread regarding current Kappa Sigma expansionary activity? The answer is simply that because the Fraternity itself is providing so little information, the more additional information that anyone can post on here the more informed we will all be. Unfortunately, my very busy law practice has precluded me from posting at all in the last few months. But I am pleased that some previous posters have continued to post, and that some other people have come along to post as well.

Now on to some specifics in relation to some other recent postings.

Chicostateksig advises of new colonies at CSU Monterey Bay, UC Santa Cruz, UC Davis, and UC Merced. So it would appear that the alleged interest group at UC Santa Cruz that was the subject of some previous postings actually did exist, and has progressed to full colony status. That is terrific, as is the recolonization of Beta-Phi Chapter at UC Davis. I am rather pessimistic about of the chances of the CSU Monterey Bay colony surviving; a new school, with no Greek system and no Greek culture, poses a difficult challenge for that colony. I feel somewhat the same about the UC Merced colony; it probably stands a better chance of succeeding than the CSU Monterey Bay colony, but I am not as optimistic about its chances as chicostateksig seems to be. I do hope both groups succeed and would happily be proven to be wrong, but I am not confident about either of their long-term prospects.

Meanwhile, however, CSU Monterey Bay and UC Merced ARE colonies, which means that by my reckoning the fraternity presently has no less than seven colonies in California alone: those two, plus the aforesaid UC Santa Cruz and UC Davis, plus the Delta-NU recolonization at UCLA and the CSU Northridge and UC San Diego colonies. Add to that the fact that the former Academy of Art University colony was recently chartered as Pi-Upsilon Chapter, and one had to acknowledge that the Fraternity’s expansionary activity in the Golden State has been pretty dynamic these past few months.

However, there still are significant other expansionary targets in California, most notably the University of the Pacific, at which Kappa Sigma has never had any representation, and the return of Delta-Upsilon and Nu-Alpha Chapters at Occidental College and CAL Poly SLO, respectively.

Chicostateksig: You also posted that you “have updates on other colonies across the nation”. I don’t know why you limited your reportage to California, but would you please provide us with whatever updates you have about colonies elsewhere.

Some of you may have noted the announcement in the News section of the Fraternity website regarding the Order’s return to New York University by way of the absorption of a long-standing local fraternity there. This is one of the rare instances of the Fraternity actually reporting or announcing a colonization or recolonization on the website. And Hampton has posted a link to the colony’s informative website. Thanks for that, Hampton. Prior to its selecting Kappa Sigma, I was contacted by members of that local fraternity, who had some questions and concerns that they wanted answered by someone knowledgeable about the Fraternity but not employed by it or acting in an official capacity for it, and that the group was also considering affiliation with at least a couple of our prominent rivals, SAE and Beta Theta Pi. We should all (a) be very pleased indeed that they ultimately chose to join Kappa Sigma, and (b) hope that the Fraternity is able to satisfy all their concerns during their colony status period, and that they ultimately further decide to petition for a charter. It will be wonderful to see the restoration of the long-dormant Gamma-Zeta Chapter at such a prominent school as NYU. It will truly be one of the Fraternity’s most significant expansions in the last several decades if it ultimately succeeds.

Other than the NYU recolonization, and Chicostateksig’s advisement of the new colonies at CUS Monterey Bay, UC Santa Cruz, and UC Merced, I have no awareness of any new colonizations and/or recolonizations, or of the charterings or recharterings of any former colonies, since the aforesaid reconfiguration of the Fraternity website with its elimination of the active chapters and colonies lists. So if any reader of this posting has any other current information, please do post it.

[chicostateksig]

If you guys want to know about colonies I will be able to give some of the information. Just hit me up. I get monthly updates from nationals. I do agree with the website being pathetic in informing the members of the fraternity what is going on. It seems as if only members of the Executive Committee or GM or GP know what is going on with expansion as they receive monthly emails. Unfortunately After the conclusion of next fall I won't be able to provide any info as my term is done.

Here are all the current Colonies of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity.

Microsoft Word - Colony Members1 Birmingham-Southern College Colony
School Name: Birmingham-Southern College

Colony Name: California State University/Monterey Bay Colony
School Name: California State University/Monterey Bay


Colony Name: University of California/Santa Cruz Colony
School Name: University of California/Santa Cruz

Colony Name: Kappa-Iota Colony
School Name: Middle Tennessee State University

Colony Name: Gamma-Upsilon Colony
School Name: Rutgers University

Colony Name: Tusculum College Colony
School Name: Tusculum College

Colony Name: Warrensburg, Missouri Colony
School Name: Warrensburg, Missouri

Colony Name: Ball State University Colony
School Name: Ball State University

Colony Name: St. John’s University Colony
School Name: St. John’s University
*50 members already.

Colony Name: California State University/Northridge Colony
School Name: California State University/Northridge

Colony Name: Delta-Nu Colony
School Name: University of California/Los Angeles


Colony Name: Mount Pleasant, Michigan Colony
School Name: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
*52 Members

Colony Name: Epsilon-Phi Colony
School Name: Texas Tech University
*49 Members

NYU Gamma Zeta Colony


Colony Name: Sacred Heart University Colony
School Name: Sacred Heart University


Colony Name: Texas Woman’s University Colony
School Name: Texas Woman’s University

Colony Name: Beta-Phi Colony
School Name: University of California/Davis

Colony Name: University of California/Merced Colony
School Name: University of California/Merced

Colony Name: Delta-Gamma Colony
School Name: University of Wyoming

Colony Name: Epsilon-Rho Colony
School Name: Kent State University

Colony Name: Lake Erie College Colony
School Name: Lake Erie College

Colony Name: University of Pittsburgh at Bradford Colony
School Name: University of Pittsburgh at Bradford

Colony Name: Anchorage, Alaska Colony
School Name: Anchorage, Alaska
Colony Name: University of New Orleans Colony
School Name: University of New Orleans
* Only 10 Members

Colony Name: University of California/San Diego Colony
School Name: University of California/San Diego
*49 Members

Colony Name: Fort Myers, Florida Colony
School Name: Fort Myers, Florida

Colony Name: Utah Valley University Colony
School Name: Utah Valley University

Colony Name: American International College Colony
School Name: American International College

Colony Name: State University of New York at Cortland Colony
School Name: State University of New York at Cortland
*13 members

[LucyKKG]

I heard whispers of a Kappa Sigma colony starting at UC Santa Cruz. We'll see!

[stufield]

That would be terrific. Another northern California chapter would be a very welcome addition to the chapter roll.

Theta Chi has had a chapter at UCSC for years, and Sigma Pi just chartered there in January. There may be one or two other fraternities there as well ... LucyKKG do you know what fraternities presently have active chapters at UCSC?

Hopefully there are still enough unaffiliated men on the UCSC campus who would be willing to join a new fraternity that a Kappa Sigma colony/chapter there would prosper. Or perhaps there is a strong local fraternity that is looking to 'go national'.